KILL The Music Industry!

ℑhey say the internet is killing the music industry.

ℑhey say people don't buy music from stores anymore.

ℑhey say downloading music is stealing.

I went to the store the other day to see what good hip hop albums where there to buy. Disappointing... one good song, 2 at the most, $15 an album. I say THAT is stealing.

There's one thing I think people, especially artists , have to understand. The music industry is changing, there's no way to stop people from downloading music, it is something that is uncontrollable and the only option for music artists today is to adapt, find ways to make their music more interesting to the fans.

The internet has made everything more accessible. You are always a click away from listening to the latest release of your favourite artist. Some people really feel that it is wrong to follow that click.

But wait a minute...is it really a bad thing? Is the internet really doing harm to the industry? I don't know about you but if I was a musician I wouldn't complain...in fact I'd be happy to see people downloading my music, what a compliment that would be for me. If people liked my music then it makes sense they'd try to get it by any means possible, I'd have more fans, my concerts would be sold out, it would encourage me to make more good music... overall, I'd just be grateful for it.

Unless of course my only interest was to make more and more money. Then I'd spent little time creating original material, I'd spend more time trying to figure what would make my music sell and I'd probably be pissed to see my music going away for free... what a loss of money. But art is priceless, the value is in the people liking it.

I have to say I'm not a musician, so I can't really put myself in their shoes completely and see how they see it and the way they experience it. But I know that anything I’m passionate about I'd give for free, and I'd love to see that others appreciate it.

Here's what a real music artist, KT Tunstall, feels about it:

"No, not at all," she says. "I have to be totally honest... when I heard about all the downloading problems and when I really thought about it, the only people who suffer ultimately - you know, if everything falls to its knees - are people who can't sing or perform."

"It's the people who actually can't do their job who suffer because if you can't make your money from record sales... I mean, I just know now that no matter what happens - if I lose all my friends and family and the record company spontaneously combusts - I can go out there and take my guitar out and make enough money to have dinner. It's something you feel really grateful to be able to do." Read full article here.

The problem today is that music artists, especially in the hip-hop world focus mostly on making more money, rush when making an album and expect people to just give them money for a piece of unoriginal "cannot-be-called" art.

It has become rare nowadays, but when I hear a music album that makes me nod my head from begining to end, I will always run to the store and buy it! I wanna have an original copy of it. Other than that, I'd rather download my hip-hop albums for free.

I really wish more artists would convince me to spent some money on their albums. I wish they'd provide more valuable art-work to you and me, the fans. Some do, but many don't. Is it really that hard?

I want to go further and suggest that music should be free. I don't mean that musicians should'nt make money from their work, but that they should make some songs available for free to their fans and ask in exchange to support them by buying their album. That's a way to adapt. Some artist are already doing that. Rapper Chamillionnaire comes to mind, and i think it is working for him.

But let me stop writing and point to your keyboard. Can you take a second and give me your opinion? I'd like to know what you think.